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Summary
Drug abuse is a serious public health problem that affects almost every community and family in some way. Each year drug abuse causes millions of serious illnesses or injuries among Americans. Abused drugs include
- Methamphetamine
- Anabolic steroids
- Club drugs
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Inhalants
- Marijuana
- Prescription drugs, including opioids
Drug abuse also plays a role in many major social problems, such as drugged driving, violence, stress, and child abuse. Drug abuse can lead to homelessness, crime, and missed work or problems with keeping a job. It harms unborn babies and destroys families. There are different types of treatment for drug abuse. But the best is to prevent drug abuse in the first place.
NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse
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Commonly Abused Drugs Charts
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Drug Addiction (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Drug Facts
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Faces of Change: Do I Have a Problem with Alcohol or Drugs? (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
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Understanding Drug Use and Addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
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What Is Addiction? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
Latest News
- Drug Overdose Deaths Climb Dramatically in U.S. (12/20/2016, HealthDay)
- Use of Needle Exchange Programs Up Dramatically in 10 Years: CDC (11/30/2016, HealthDay)
- U.S. Surgeon General Declares War on Addiction (11/17/2016, HealthDay)
Symptoms
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Signs of Drug Use and Addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
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Do You or a Loved One Have a Drug Use Problem? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
- Drugs of Abuse Testing (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
Prevention and Risk Factors
- CDC Vital Signs: HIV and Injection Drug Use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Treatments and Therapies
- Alcohol and Drug Treatment: How It Works, and How It Can Help You (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF Also in Spanish
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Drug Addiction Treatment in the Criminal Justice System (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
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Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
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Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
- What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF Also in Spanish
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What to Do If Your Adult Friend or Loved One Has a Problem with Drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Living With
- Intervention: Help a Loved One Overcome Addiction (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Related Issues
- Alcohol Abuse: Taking Medicines Safely after Alcohol or Drug Abuse Recovery (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Are You in Recovery from Alcohol or Drug Problems? Know Your Rights (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
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Biology of Addiction: Drugs and Alcohol Can Hijack Your Brain (National Institutes of Health)
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Does Addiction Run in Families? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
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Drugged Driving (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
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Effects of Drug Use (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
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HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse: Intertwined Epidemics (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
- How to Identify Drug Paraphernalia (Drug Enforcement Administration)
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Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Take Action against Hepatitis C (for People in Recovery from Mental Illness or Addiction) (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
Specifics
- Bath Salts (American Association of Poison Control Centers)
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Hallucinogens (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
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Synthetic Cathinones ("Bath Salts") (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
Images
- DEA Multi-Media Drug Library (Drug Enforcement Administration)
- Identifying Drugs (Drug Enforcement Administration)
Videos and Tutorials
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Why Are Drugs So Hard to Quit? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
Statistics and Research
- Age- and Gender-Based Populations (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
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Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
- FastStats: Illegal Drug Use (National Center for Health Statistics)
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Nationwide Trends (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Other Specific Populations (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
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Research Reports: Hallucinogens and Dissociative Drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- PDF
- Substance Use and Mental Health Estimates from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health-Overview of Findings (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
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Substance Use in Women and Men
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hallucinogens (National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Drug Abuse (National Institutes of Health)
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Reference Desk
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NIDA Notes (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Find an Expert
- Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Drug Enforcement Administration
-
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Also in Spanish
- Partnership at Drugfree.org (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Children
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Drugs and Young People: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Bath Salts (Nemours Foundation)
- Mushrooms (Nemours Foundation)
Men
- Helping Yourself Heal: A Recovering Man's Guide to Coping with the Effects of Childhood Abuse (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
Women
- Helping Yourself Heal: A Recovering Woman's Guide to Coping with Childhood Abuse Issues (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF Also in Spanish
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Substance Use in Women (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
Seniors
- Drug and Substance Abuse (AGS Foundation for Health in Aging)
Patient Handouts
- Drug abuse (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Drug dependence (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Toxicology screen (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
